Die casting machine



Jan. 6, 1942. A. F. LEHMANN DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet l NN Kw2 3 nventor Jan. 6, 1942.

A. F. LEHMANN DIE CASTING MACHINE 5 SheeJcs-Sheet 2 Filed 0G11. 23, 1939llllll |l|l l Illl .f

Jan. 6, 1942. A. F. LEHMANN DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed 001;. 23, 1959 5sheets-sheet 3 QN WN 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l l I I Jan. 6, 1942. A. F.LEHMANN DIE CASTING MACHINEv Filed Oct. 25, 1939 Jan. 6, 1942. A. F.LEHMANN 2,268,949

DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, -1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 GttornegsPatented 6, 1942 I A' UNlTEb f STATES 1PA-'nam'l OFFICE ma cAs'rlNoMACHINE Alben F. uhmm, Detroit. Mien.

Application october za, i939. sei-m Nn. 30am v claims., (ci. zz-sz) Thisinvention relates generally to die casting and molding machines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rrew and improveddie casting and molding machine of a structural character such thatsubstantially perfect castings may be made. v

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved diecasting and molding machine in which a pair of separable dies arepositively held against separation during the casting operation. g

A further objectof the invention is to provide a die casting and moldingmachine of new and improved construction to withstand the stresses andstrains accompanying operation of such mashines.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a die casting andmolding machine hav- `ing a supply of liquid casting material in whichautomatic die charging apparatus is disposed and arranged to be movedout of the supply between extended periods of operation to avoid damageto the charging apparatus by contraction and expansion of the castingmaterial.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdetailed description taken with the accompanying five sheets of drawingsin which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a die casting machine embodyingfeatures of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side view shown in elevation of the die casting machine; l

Figure 3 is a view shown in section taken longitudinally of the machinealong the line and in the direction of the arrows 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a view shown in section taken longitudinally of the machinealong the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the machine looking from left to right of Fig.2;

Fig. 6 is a view shown in cross section of the;

machine, taken along the line and in the direc tion of the arrows 6 6 ofFig. 2;

Fig. '1k is a view similar to Fig. 6 but taken along the lineA and inthe direction of the arrows 'I--l vin elevation and partly `in crosssection, taken along .the line and in the direction of the arrows 9 3'of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of the machine shown in cross section,taken along the line and in the direction ofthe arrows IO-IO ol Fig. 2;

' Fig. 11 isv a view of the machine shown in cross section, taken alongthe line and in the direction of the arrows II-I I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a view of the machine shown in cross section, taken alongtheline and in the direction of the arrows I2'-I2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary top plan View of the machine shown partly insection, taken along the line and in the `direction of the arrows I3-I3of Fig. 2, and

. Fig. 14 is a perspective view shown partly in section of a part of themachine.

Referring toythe drawings by characters of reference, the die castingmachine includes a base I Il on which is mounted a rigid framecomprising a pair of spaced, parallel, lower side members or rails II, apair of spaced, upper, parallel side members or rails I2 and oppositeend walls I3 land Il. parallel with the lower rails Il and both pair ofrails are preferably rectangular in shape. The

end walls I3, Il seat on the lower rails and supgether but, it will beseen that the rails II and I2 because of the shoulders I5, I6 take thelongitudinal strains and that the bolts I8 are not under shearingstresses.

The recessed rails together provide a guide or l sildeway and the wallsof these recesses are'further recessed to receive hardened metallicstrips I9 which may be secured to the railsvby screws 20. On thesehardened'slideways, a die carrier member 2I is slidably supported andcarries a die member 22 cooperable with a fixed die member 23, the die23 being rigidly secured to the frame end wall I 4 by screws or bolts2|.. 'Ihe movable die 22 may be rigidly secured to its carrier 2I byscrews 25 or by other suitable means.` I'his carrier member 2|, Fig. 8,comprises four slide rails 26 Joined by a vertical wall 21. to `whichthe die member 22 is secured and integral -with the wall 21, a tubularportion 28 extending centrally between and longitudinally of the rails26 is reenforced and joined to the wall 21 by radially spaced webs 29.'

'I'he upper rails I2 overlie and are i Any suitable power means may beemployed to move the die member 22 to open and close the die and in thepresent instance, hydraulic power means is employed. This hydraulicpower means comprises a cylinder member mounted in the frame end wall I3and a piston 3|, the cylinder member 30 being provided with passages 32and 33 to effect hydraulic action on opposite sides of the piston. Apush rod 34 having one end secured 'to the piston 3| has itsvother endsecured to the die carrier member 2|, the rod 34 extending centrallythrough the carrier tubular portion 28 and being screwthreaded into adetachable member 35 which may be secured by screws or by other suitablemeans to the end wall 23 of thedie carrier. The cylinder member 38 isscrewthreaded into an internally threaded member 38 which is rotatablymounted in the end wall I3 and is rotatable by a hand wheel 31. Thisprovides an adjustment to compensate for dies of different depth orthickness.

Slidably mounted in and adjustable along the frame slideways, is a camcarrier or supporting member 40 which is of general cylindrical shapehaving a central bore 4I through which the piston push rod 34 extendsand is freely reciprocal. In its rear surface, the carrier member 48 isrecessed to receive the inner end of `the adjustable cylinder 30,rotation of which adjusts the position of carrier 48 along theslideways. The member 48 is provided with a reduced tubular portion 42on which is rotatably mounted a tubular member 43 on one end of whichlis secured radially spaced cam members 44 providing together aninterrupted but inclined cam surface cooperable with an interrupted camsurface on similar cam members 45 which are secured to the rear end ofthe die carrier 2|, this cam action being provided to close the dietightly and to hold it tightly closed during the casting operation.Rigidly secured to the rear end of the rotatable cam carrier member 43,a gear 48 in mesh with a movable rack 41 provides for rotation of member43 to close the die tightly and the gear 48 and member 43 are held tothe guide and carrier member v4I1 by a retaining ring 48. A l.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 12, the rack 41 is preferably operatedhydraulically and to this end is provided with a push rod 48 on the endof which a piston 49 reciprocates in a cylinder 50 having iiuid passages5|, 52 leading into the cylinder on opposite sides of the piston. In theframe rails I|`and I2, slots 53 extending longitudinallythereof areprovided to receive bolts 54 for retaining the carrier member 48 in thedesired position of adjustment.' Carriers 28 and 43 are adapted totelescope, member 28 being provided with longitudinal internal slots 55and member' 43 being provided with external slots 58 so that member 28may slide over member 43 when the parts are properly aligned, see Fig.8. These slotted members 83, 28 resultin the cooperating cam surfaces ontheir opposed ends being interrupted, as previously mentioned, thecooperating cam members 44, 45 being radially spacedbetween the slotsand being hardened and rigidly secured to respective ends of the members43, 28 by screws or by other suitable means.

Through the end wall of the iixed die 23 and through the adjacent frameend wall I4 are aligning apertures to receive a nozzle 51 forintroducing or charging the die with metal for casting. Metal isintroduced preferably hydraulically into the nozzle 51 by a second andremovable nozzle 58 having a body provided with a cylinder 80 containinga piston 8|. The die charging mechanism is mounted on a base 82 having'adrainage sump 88 for excess metal and positioned in the drainage sump 88is a second and removable sump 84 wherein ya quantity of liquid metal iskept in which the nozzle 58 is submerged. The metal in the sump orreservoir 84 automatically lls the cylinder 8|) of the nozzle 58 whenthe piston 8| is retracted such that it opens a submerged inlet passage82a leading into the cylinder. 'A burner (not shown) may be provided inthe sump 83 below the sump 84 to keep the metal therein in a liquidstate and at the proper temperature for casting.

The die charging mechanism is preferably hydraulically operated andtothis end includes an open ended fluid tube 85 which is mounted onybrackets 88a which are rigidly but removably secured to the top of thebase 82. Intermediate its ends, the tube is provided with an enlargedportion or what may be termed4 a ilxed piston 88 which is enclosed in acylinder 81 adapted to move longitudinally ofthe tube. The tube 85 isprovided on opposite sides of the piston portion 88 with outlets 88 and88. The opposite ends of the cylinder are closed by cap members 18 whichslidably receive the tube 85 and compress sealing material 1I to providefluid tight sliding joints. The cylinder 81 is provided with a laterallyand downwardly extending rigid arm 13 which extends down into the sump84 and to which is rigidly secured a pushrcd 14 to which .the piston 8|is rigidly secured. Secured on the top of the base 82, Fig. 10, anadjustable plate 14 cooperates with a downwardly directed extendedportion 15 of the cylinder 81 to limit downward swinging movement of thecylinder 81 about the tube 85.

0n the opposite side of the sump from the hydraulic actuator, the nozzle58 is pivoted on a shaft 18 which is hingedly mounted on top of the base82 by a bracket 11. Normally, the hinge. as at 18, of the nozzle 58 isrigidly secured to the base 82 by bolts 88 to retain the nozzle rigidlyin place in the sump during casting operations. Also, the nozzle 58 isheld with its outlet end tightly against the inlet end of the ilxednozzle 51 by a pair of spaced parallel bolts 8| .which have their innerends plvoted on shafts 82 mounted in aligned bores which extend throughthe frame end wall I4 transverse of the machine. The bolts 8| positionin upwardly facing senil-cylindrical bores 8Ia in the nozzle body andthe free ends of the bolts are threaded to receive nuts 83 which may betightened down against washers to urge and hold the nozzle 58 againstthe fixed nozzle member 51. This arrangement provides for easy and readyremoval of the nozzle and associated parts out of the metal in the sumpso that they will not be subjected to stresses and strains to which theywould 'otherwise be subjected by and when the metal is permited to cooland harden. To remove the nozzle member 58 it is only necessary toloosen bolts 8| and remove bolts 88 after which the nozzle may be swungupward out of the sump about the shaft 18. Also, after withdrawing thepiston 8| from its cylinder 88, arm 18 of the hydraulic actuator may beswung upwardly abou'A the tube 85 out of the sump.

In operation, assuming the die to be closed, suitable well knowncontrolmeans (not shown) establishes communication between the cylinder81 through passage 88 and a source oi.' fluid under pressure whichcauses the cylinder 31 to move along tube 3l toward the die. This movesthe piston 8| inwardly, displacing thev liquid metall in its cylinder,causing the metal to flow through nozzle I1 into the die. After the'casthas been made the die-is opened' hydraulically by nrst bringing tluldpressure-to bear on the inner end of-the, piston 49, retracting the rack41 and rotating gear and cam carrier member I3 until the splines thereoncoincide with the recesses v55 of, the ldie carrier member tubularportion 28. vWhen this occurs, the cooperating` cam members will, ofcourse, be disengaged and the die carrier member is free to slide ortelescope over the cam carrier 43; Opening movement of the die isobtained by introducing fluid under pressure through passage 33 into thecylinder 3| wherein the pressure will act to retract piston 3|. andthrough the connecting rod 34`move the die member 23 and its carrier toopen position away from the fixed die member 23 after which the finishedcasting may be removed. On closing the die, iluid pressure acts onpiston 3| to move the die to closed position after which :duid pressureacting through the rack 41 and gear 46 rotates member 43 and thecooperating` cam members Il and l tightly close the die and hold itagainst any slight opening movement during the casting operation so thatsubstantially perfect castings may be made.

While I have shown and described my invent said carrier tion in detailit is to be understood that the same is to be limited only by theappended claims for many changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is: 1. In adie casting machine, a frame vhaving a slideway,a die member secured to said frame, a carrier member slidably mounted insaid slideway, a die member carried by said carrier member and vmovabletherewith toward and away from said first-named die member, saidAsecond-named die member having a closed position cooperable-with saidfirst-named die member, said carrier member having a tubular portionprovided on one end thereof with cam means, a rotatable tubular membersupported by said frame and having cam means on one end thereof, saidcam means upon rotation of said tubular member in one directioncooperating with said first-named cam means for releasably locking saidsecond-named die member in closed position, said rotatable member uponrotation in the.

opposite direction disengaging said first-named cam means and saidsecond-named cam means lan`dittinginto said carrier member upon movementthereof' to move said second-named diemember to open position,- means torotate said rotatable member, and means to move said carrier member. l f

2. In a die casting machine, a frame having a slideway, a die membersecured to said frame, a carrier member slidably mounted in saidslideway, a die member carried by said carrier memy ber and movabletherewith toward and away from said first-named die member, saidsecondnamed die member having a closed position coperable with saidfirst-named die member,l said carrier member having a tubular portionprovided on one end thereof with cam means, a rotatable tubular membercarried by said frame and having cam means on one end thereof, saidsecond-named cam means upon rotation of said tubularl member in onedirection cooperating with said first-named cam means for releasablylocking me mend-named die membr in um position, said'rotatable memberupon rotation in the opposite direction disengsinzv said first-` namedcam'means'and said second-named cam means and ntting into said carriermember upon mo .ement thereof to movel said vsecond-named di member toopen position, means to 'rotate walls, a carrier member slidably guidedby said slideway, a die member carried by said carrier member andcooperable with said first-named die member, said second-named diemember b'eing movable between open and closed positions with respect tolsaid first-named die member. a second carrier member slidablyadjustable along said slideway, a rotatable member carried by androtatable relative to said second-named carrier member, cam meanscarried by' said first-named carrier member, cam means carried by saidrotatable member and cooperable with said rstnamed cam means uponrotation of said rotatable member in one direction to hold saidsecond-named die member in closed position.

.4. Ina die casting machine, la. plurality of spaced parallel railsrecessed to provide a slideway and having inwardly facing end abutmentshoulders, opposite end walls abutting said shoulders, a die membersecured to one ofsaid end walls, a vcarrier member slidably guided bysaid slideway, a die member carried by said carrier member andcooperable with said rst-named die member, .Said second-named die memberbeing` movable between open and closed positions with respect to saidrst-named die member, a second carrier member slidably adjustable alongsaid slideway, a rotatable member carried by and ro- 5. In a machine ofthe character described. a frame including a plurality of spacedlongitudia nally-extending rails positioned to provide a slideway andopposite end members 4mounted on said frame, a die member secured to oneof said end members, a carrier member slidably guided by said slideway,a die member I carried by said carrierA member and cooperable with saidfirstnamed die member, a second carrier member slidably adjustable alongsaid slideway, a rotatable member carried by said second-namedcarriermember, and means-on said first-named carrier rmember and on saidsecond-named carrier member cooperable byl rotation of said rotatablemem-` ber to hold said movable die member in closed position withrespect to said first-named die member.

6. In a machine .of the character described, a

frame including'means providing a slideway, a die member secured to saidframe at one end of said slideway, a carrier member slidably guided bysaid slideway, a die member carried by said carrier member andcooperable with said firstnamed die member. a second carrier memberslidably adjustable along said slideway, a rotatable member carried bysaid second-named carrier member. and means on said rst-named carriermember and on said second-named carrier member cooperable by rotation ofsaid rotatable member to hold said movable die member in closed positionwith respect to said first-named die member.

'1. In a machine of the character described, a frame including meansproviding a slideway, a carrier member slidably guided by said slideway,a die member mounted on said frame, a. second tatable member carried byand rotatable relative to said second-named carrier member, andcircumferentially spaced interrupted cam means on said second-namedcarrier member and on said-rotatable member cooperable andinterengageable with one another on rotation o! said rotatable member tourge said die members together.

